Draft rigging



March 31. 1925.

E. F. MECHLIN DRAFT RIGGING Filed July 12, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March31, 1925.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm W. m 2 m March 31. 1925. 1,531,676

E. F. MECHLIN DRAFT RIGGING Filed July 12,. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 16 p19i" .17 x ,2?

Patented Mar. 31, 19.25.

UNETED STATES i sneve PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST F. I /IEOHLIM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SYI'EINGTON CO DRAFT MlANY, A CGRPORATION FMARYLAND.

RIGGING.

Application filed July 12,1923. Serial Nix 651,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enivns'r F. liLEcriLrN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at l' v ashington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Draft Rigging; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full andexact description of the invention, such as will enable'others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Theinvention relates to railway draft rigging and more particularlyinvolves the production of a follower block primarily designed for usewith that type of draft rigging in which one or more of the movableelements are operatively connected to the car coupler by means of atransversely extending key.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a follower block foruse in Farlow types of railway draft rigging in which it is desirable toincrease the cushioning capacity of the draft rigging by the intro--duction of relatively large twin draft springs and at the same timemaintain the layout of yoke arms previously designed for use with acushioning spring of comparatively light capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key receiving followerblock having a contour which will provide adequate seating surface for atwin arrangement of comparatively heavy draft springs, the outsidediameter of which springs exceeds the transverse distance between theinner opposed faces of the yoke arms.

A further object of the invention consists in the production of afollower block having enlarged upper and lower end portions and anintermediate connecting portion of a size sufiiciently reduced to fitbetween the yoke arms and operate in the usual manner but in conyunctionwith much heavier draft springs 4 in twin arrangement.

The invention still further consists in the construction, arrangement.and combination of the several parts hereinafter described and pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings an embodiment of vention as applied to a F arl'ow typeof draft rigging originally designed for a draft spring of comparativelylight construction and capacity.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of my ina Farlow draft riggingillustrating my invention applied thereto.

igure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view with portions of thedraft rigging removed and other portions shownin dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a tr nsverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view of Figure l. Fi ure 5 is a face view of aslightly modified form of follower block. T

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the follower block. i

Figure 7 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 8 is a detail view of thespring spacing member. V I Y Referring to the drawings in whichcorresponding reference characters designate similar parts-in theseveral views, the present construction of draft rigging includes thedraft sills 11 having connected thereto the cheek plates 2, said sillsbeing slotted to receive the cheek plates and the latter being.slottechas at 3, 4L- and 5, to receive the ends of the keys 6, 7 and 8.The movabledraft member is shown in the form of-slotted links 99 whichconstitute the full equivalent of a yoke member having spaced side armsarranged between the draft sills and suitably slotted'to receive theconnecting keys. The coupler 10 is movably connected to the front endsof the yoke arms or links by means of the key 6. The rear end of thecouplershank is adapted to normally contact with the for ward face ofone of my improved follower blocks 11, the same constituting the frontfollower member through which the key v7 passes. The rear follower is ofthe same construction and in the assembly is indicated by the numeral12, said follower being adapted to receive the rear key 8. A suitable.tie member 13 connects the-draft sills and is adapted to act as a backstop against which the rear follower block strikes.

Mounted between the rear facefof the front follower and the front faceof the rear follower is the cushioning mechanism, said mechanismincluding a twin arrangement of comparatively heavy springs 14114, theoutside transverse dimension ofeach being greater than the transversedistance between the inner opposed faces of the yoke arms or link 99, asbest shown in Figure 3. Since the follower blocks are substantiallyidentoward the opposite end tical iniconstruction a description-of butonewill be given.

Each follower is formed with opposite side walls 16, said .side wallsbeing united'by oppositeend walls 171S, the said end wall'17'be'ingprovided with a projection 19 adapted to serve as a centeringdeviceinconnection with the usual aperture in the coupler stem, andthesaid endwall .18 being formed with other projections or studs 20 adapted to actas centering and retaining means for the springs of the cushioningunechanism'. Theend wall 17 of the follower is arranged to cooperatewitlreither the rear end of'the'coupler stem or a suitable back stopmember, while the end wall 18 isdis- :posed vertically, as shown, toprovide seating surfaces desi 'ned .to cooperate with a twin arrangementof comparatively heavy draftsprings.

The end wall 18 of eachfollower blocl: is formed with projectingportions21 arranged to extend beyond the side walls l5l6 of the block, saidportions being preferably projected from a center which 'ischosen withvView to the installation of comparatively heavy draft springs conformingto A. R. A. standards. C111 the present instance :a cir- :cular shape isgiven to'zthe upper and lower portions of the end wall 18, this contourproviding-a strong anddurable seating surface .for'receiving springs ofincreased width and-capacity. The projecting portions ofthe oppositelyenlarged :ends of the follower walll8overlie at lcasta portion of thetop and bottom edges of theyolre arms.

Reinforcing means int-he nature of a rib is preferably provided for thelaterally projecting portions 21 of the sorin'g seating surface of thefollower, said r-ib extending wall 17 aim being united with the centside wall of the follower. The type of follower :bloclr shown is.preferablyscast with a plurality of reinforcing ribs I01 webs disposed.to provide a series of hollow columns, this construction serving toprovide .a block comparatively modified form of '6 and T the-side walls15 and 16 are preferably COHUIIUBCl above and below the top and lightinweight but of sufficient strength :to resist all loads to which it maybe subyected under -se vice COI1(l1tlODS.- The alined slots in the sidewalls of the follower block may be connected by a 'centrallyarranged andapertured brace'23 which:preferablyextends from and is connected to thecentral portions of respectively. In the the end walls 1-7 and 18, 7

shown in Figures 5 block bottom'wa ll portions 24: and 25 of'the "block,

said continuation providing reinforcing ribs :26 and 27, respectively,for the end wall 18,

particularly the projecting portions Q1 extendin be 10nd the said sidewalls and form- 'ing 'tl'ie additional spring seating surfaces,

A plurality "of vertically arrangedribs 28 'si'tely arranged and 'toproect beyond tlIB'OPPOSliGSKlG walls for receiving OVGI'SPZG twin draftspri1rgs,"and

' ging having width than said end portions,

"right webs.

and 29 are provided intermediate the continuations 26 and 27 of thesidewalls, said rangeinent by means of a spacing member block and formedin the nature of a hollow suitably curved upon its upper and lower facesto conform to the curvature of the springs. The spring spacer block ispreferably adapted to maintain the springs from contact with the upperand 'lower edg'es of the yoke arms, it being sufficient to separate thesprings a distance which will permit the extending portions of thesprings to overlie the yoke arms in closely spaced relation thereto.

A follower constructed in accordance with either form of the presentinvention makes it possible to economically convert a layout of draftrigging in which the cushioning capacity of-the gears has been limitedby reason of the arrangement'of yoke arms and associated spacing of theparts between the sills. into a higher'eapacity gear by the introductionof comparatively heaviersprings, all of the associated' parts of thedraft rigging being, maintained intact with the eX- ception of the oldfollower blocks for my improved construction of follower is substituted.The presentconstruction of 'follower block can be easily positionedbetween the sills and the yoke arms introduced longitudinally of thedraft rigging.

Having now described my invention, although it is to be understood thatthe foregoing description is merely illustrative of one embodiment ofthe invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent Iclaim:

1. A follower block for railwa-ydraftrigging comprising opposite sidewalls, end walls uniting said side "walls, at least one of said endwalls being provided with oppospaced portions adapted tions.

2. A follower block for railwaydra'ft rip;-

a box-shaped intermediate-pen tion provided with a key receiving slottherein, said folloi'yer having rounded end portions-said intermediateportionbeing of less portions and'boX-shaped intermediate portion'belngconnected by a plurality ofup- In testiinon Y whereof I affix in sinature.

ERNEST F. MEGHLIN.

which I the said end means for reinforcing said projecting por-

